Railway car



w. E. WINE Jan. 4, 1938.

RAILWAY CAR 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 2O

Jan. 4, 1938. w. E. WINE RAIL-WAY CAR Filed Nov. 20, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet2 W. E. WINE Jan. 4, 1938.

RAILWAY CAR Filed Nov. 20, 1935 heets-Sheet 3 -MUC W. E. WINE RA ILWAY CAR Jan. 4, 1938.

Filed Nov. 20, 1935 5 Sheets-She.=,1'l 4 IK/IIIILYIIILDIII Lvl Illrl...Il DI .Illl

ed@ Q @ooooLo a da; mvom W. E. WINE RAILWAY CAR A Jan.l 4, 1958.y

, 1955 5 sheets-sheet 5 Filed No\r ILVllVILJllILJIiIP/I Patented Jan. 4,1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 10 Claims.

My invention relates to railway cars and more particularly to cars ofthe hopper type.

For many years, it was common practice to build hopper cars, and infact, all open top railway cars, with outside side stakes, that is, withstakes located en the outside of the side sheets of the car. In a desireto increase the revenue earning capacity of the cars, this practice hasgraduaily falien into disuse until now it is practically 30 theuniversal custom to locate the stakes on the inside of the car, in orderthat the side sheets may be spaced apart the maximum distance permittedby standard railroad clearance limits. Due to the considerably greatercarrying capacity of cars having inside side stakes, railroad companieshave endeavored to increase the capacity of the outside side stake carsby providing those cars with side sheets embossed outwardly between thestakes and in other makeshift ways, each one of which fails to asubstantial degree to increase the capacity of the car to that which itwould have had had the side sheets been originally spaced apart themaximum permissible distance and the side stakes located on the insidethereof.

The principal object of the present invention is to convert outside sidestake cars into inside side stake cars by employing side stakes and sidesheets of novel form and design which may be easily applied to thepresent framework of inside side stake cars without making alterationstherein.

Advantageous features of the invention, residing in particular forms,combinations and relai tions of parts, will hereinafter appear in thespecication and be pointed out in the claims.

In the draWings:-

Figure l is a side elevational View of slightly more than one-half of anoutside side stake car which has been converted into an inside sidestake car by the use of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an end view of the car.

Figure 3 is a plan View of a portion of the car adjacent one end.

Figure 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on line 4-4 ofFigure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on line 5 5 ofFigure S.

Figures 6 and '7 are enlarged detail sectional 50 views taken on lines 66 and 'I-l, respectively,

of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View taken on line 8-8 ofFigure l.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional V5 view taken on line 9-9of Figure l.

Figure 10 is a side view of the lower end of one of the side stakesconnected to a body bolster of the car.

Figure 11 is another view of the lower portion of one of the bolsterstakes, the view being taken iii? at right angles to the view shown inFigure 10.

Figure 12 is a vertical sectional View of the car taken on line l2--i2of Figure 1.

Figures 13 and 14 are enlarged detail sectional views taken on lines|3--I3 and lll-i4, respectively, of Figure 12.

For purposes of illustratingr the invention, parts of the well knowninside side stake hopper car of the type built by the United StatesRailroad Administration and commonly referred to as the U. S. R. A. carhave been shown. Cars of this type have channel-shaped center sill beamsI, plate-like body bolsters and cross bearers 2 and 3, respectively,angle-shaped side sills fi extending between the body bolsters andchannel-shaped side sills 5 respectively extending between the holstersand the ends of the car. Each of the angle side sills il is disposed soas to: provide a vertical side sheet attaching portion 5 and each of thechannel side sills 5 is disposed so that its web 'i is verticallydisposed in substantially the same plane as the vertical portion of theadjacent angle-shaped side sills.

The plate-like body holsters 3 are provided at their ends withreinforcing angle-shaped members 8, each of which is arranged so thatone leg 9 thereof is disposed in a vertical plane extendinglongitudinally of the car so as to form an end wall of the bolster.While the lower portions oi the end walls El are offset slightlyinwardly to overlap the inner faces of adjacent portions of the webs lof the channel side sills 5 for connection thereto, plate members lil ofsubstantially triangular shape are overlappingly secured to the outerfaces of the webs of the channel side sills and to the end walls 9 inorder to additionally connect the body bolsters to the side sills.

As is Well known, the side sheets (not shown) of the U. S. R. A. carsare attached at their lower edges to the vertical portions of the angleside sills and extend vertically upwardly therefrom in planessubstantially coincident therewith, the upper ends of the side sheetsbeing secured to depending legs l I of the bulb angle side top rails 2,and the side stakes, also not shown, being secured to the outer faces ofthe side sheets.

In place of the plane side sheets used in the U. S. R. A. cars, as wellas in all outside side stake cars, the present invention contemplatesemploying between the body bolsters the side sheets designated i3 which,due to their location, are commonly referred to as intermediate sidesheets. Each of these side sheets is provided with a substantiallyvertical main body portion I4 and with a downwardly and inwardlyinclined portion I5 which terminates in a substantially vertical ilangel5 overlappingly secured to the outer face of the vertical portion E ofthe adjacent side sill. The main body portions of the sheets arepreferably offset outwardly from the lower flanges l5 so that they willbe disposed just slightly inwardly of the extreme clearance limits. Attheir upper ends, the intermediate side sheets incline upwardly andinwardly, as at Il, and terminate substantially vertical flanges I8 forattachment to the Vertical legs i i of the side top rails i2.

The side top rails'of the U. S. R. A. cars, which are of the shape shownin the drawings, are notV spaced apart the maximum distance permitted byclearance limits and,` while, by increasing the inclination of theportion l?, of the sheets, they may remain in their present positions,it is preferred, in order that the top of the car will' not be undulyrestricted and that the end side sheets I9 may be spaced apart themaximum distance and-besecured to the side top rails without providingthem with inwardly offset portions, to relocate the side topk rails sothat their outer edges will be disposed in substantially the same planesas the main body portions i4 of the side sheets.

The end side sheets i9, which are disposed in planes inwardly of theplanes of the main body portion ld of the intermediate side sheets sothat the side ladders 2d will not project beyond the clearance limits,are spaced apart a greater distance than the end side sheets of the U.S. R. A. cars, being disposed in planes outwardly of the planes ofthevertical portions of the side sills andsecured at their upper ends tothe depending legs lI of the side top rails. The corner posts El of thecar, which are of angle-shape having legs or .flanges 22V and 23,respectively, are offset intermediate their ends, as indicated at 21%-,to provide the flanges 22 with laterally spaced portions, one of whichis iirmly attached to the end of the adjacent side sill and the other ofwhich is similarly securedl to thn outer end portion of the adjacent endside sheet and of the depending leg I i of the adjacent side top rail.By offsetting the corner posts in this manner, the end top rails 25Y ofthe U. S. R. A. cars are not of suflicient length to permit them to bedirectly connected to the upper ends of the iianges 2S of the cornerposts. However, to enable these end top rails to be used, brackets 25may be advantageously employed for rigidly connectingV them to thecorner posts. Each of these brackets, which may conveniently be formedas a casting, is of substantially angle-shape having a horizon talflange 2l and a vertical ange 28. The inner end of flange 21 underliesand is riveted to the adjacent end of the horizontal leg 29 of the endtop rail, while the other end thereof, which is disposed outwardly ofthe latter, has an upwardly projecting boss 3o engaging the under sideof the usual top corner bracket 3l, being secured thereto by a rivet 32.The vertical leg 2d has a portion riveted to the upper end of the endflange 23 of the adjacent corner post and another portion formed with aninwardly projecting boss 33 engaging the adjacent end sheet 3d of thecar, being secured thereto and to depending leg 35 of the adjacent endtop rail. It will thus be evident that the brackets 26 are of suchdesign as to rigidly connect the end top rail to the corner posts andthus enable the use of the relatively short end top rails of the U. S.R. A. cars.

To strengthen the side sheets of the car and toeiect a rigid connectionbetween the under frame and car sides, side stakes of improved designare employed. The side stakes 36 disposed at the ends of the crossbearer 3 are generally of bulb angle-shape having a ange 3l secured tothe inner faces of the side sheets and an inwardly projecting web 33terminating along its inner edge in an enlarged or bulb portion 39. Theflange 3l of side stakes 35 is inclined adjacent its upper and lowerends to conform to the inclined portions i5 and il respectively of theside sheets and, at its lower end, it overlaps the inner face ofvertical portion 5 of the adjacent side sill for connection thereto. Thelower portion of the-web 3S is enlarged, as indicated at do, so as toproject beyond the adjacent outer end or the cross bearer intooverlapping relation with one side thereof for rigid attachmenttherewith. The enlarged portions [i3 of the side stakes 35 thus form, ineilect, continuations of the cross bearer and, accordingly, serve toiirmly and rigidly connect the latter to the side sheets.

The sides of the car adjacent the cross bearer may be advantageouslyfurther rigidied by braces lll, each of which includes a member l2extending downwardly and inwardly from the adjacent car side, beingattached at its upper end to adjoining side stake 35 and being connectedat its lower end to the cross bearer at a point spaced inwardly from theadjacent side of the car. Each of the braces also preferably includes amember 43 which extends downwardly and outwardly from substantially themid-point of the member 42 and, at its outer end, it is provided withangularly disposed portions 44 and e5, portion i4 being secured to theenlarged portion 423' of the lower end of the adjacent side stake andportion d5 being secured to the adjoining side sheet. As is customary,ransverse slope sheets l5 of the car are secured to the upper edge ofthe cross bearer and extend downwardly on opposite sides of the latter.

The side stakes il disposed at the ends of the bolster are, in the main,of substantially Z-shape in crosssection having a web 43 and oppositelyprojecting legs or anges 49 and. 55, respectively. Leg 49 is secured inoverlapping relation to the outer face of the adjacent intermediate sidesheet I3 and, at its upper end, it has an inclined portion 5I conformingwith the inclined portion Il of the side sheet and a substantiallyvertical portion 52 rigidly secured to the outer side of the dependingleg Ii of the adjacent side top rail.

At its lower end, leg i9 has a downwardly and f inwardly inclinedportion 53 conforming to the incline I5 of the side sheet and itterminates in a substantially vertical flange 5d secured in overlappingrelation to the outer face of the Vertical portion of the adjacent sidesill.

Leg 50 of each of side stakes lll has upper and lower laterally offsetportions, the upper one being overlappingly secured to the adjacent endside sheet IS and the lower one, which is disposed in the same plane asthe Vertical flange 54 of the stake, being rigidly secured to theadjacent plate Ill and end wall 9 of the body bolster. These offsetportions of the leg 5i) of each side stake 4'. are integrally connectedby a portion 55 which is inclined longitudinally of the car and servesto support adjacent portions of the inclined floor 56.

Beneath the floor of the car, side stakes il are formed with flanges 5'.which project inwardly beyond the end walls 9 of the body bolster beingrigidly secured to the bolster in overlapping relation to one sidethereof. Each of the flanges 5l, instead of being disposed in the planeof the web i8 of the side stake, is preferably disposed in a plane oisettherefrom being connected thereto by a portion 5S disposed in a pianecoincident with and forming a continuation of the lower offset portionof leg 5U. By offsetting the portions 5l from the webs d8 of side stake41, it will be appreciated that the lower portion of the stakes will beextremely rigid and, to further increase their strength, each may beprovided with a transverse reinforcing rib 59 formed integrally with webt3, ange 49 and portion 58.

At their upper ends, side stakes 41 are preferably formed withhorizontal pads or the like 6G which engage the under side of thehorizontal legs of the side top rails for bracing the latter and thepads may be suitably reinforced by substantially vertical flanges 6i.

Intermediate the side stakes and 41, each side of the car is providedwith a number of additional side stakes 62 whose ends terminate justshort of the side top rails and side sills. The upper ends of the sidestakes 62 are, however, rigidly connected to the side top rails bybrackets 53 and the lower ends thereof are connected to the side sillsby substantially triangular-shaped plate-like brackets 64.

From the foregoing, it will be perceived that, by my invention, outsideside stake cars may be converted into inside side stake cars with aminimum of new parts and without making substantial altera-tions orchanges in the framework of inside side stake cars. Moreover, eventhough the ends of the main transverse load carrying members are locatedat rather substantial distances from the main body portions of the sidesheets of the car, the side stakes are of such construction as toeffectively tie together the load carrying members and the car sides.

What I claim is:

l. A repair construction for increasing the capacity of hopper carshaving outside side stakes by providing the existing underframe of suchcars with sides having inside side stakes, including in combination,side sills of the existing underframe of the car respectively havingsubstantially vertical portions, a transverse load carrying member cithe existing underframe having its ends respectively terminating at thevertical portions of the side sills, side sheets having vertical mainbody portions disposed outwardly of the ends of the load carrying memberand said portions of the side sills, the lower portions ci the sidesheets being inclined downwardly and inwardly and terminating in flangessecured to the vertical portions of the side sills, and side stakesadjacent the ends of said load carrying member, each of said side stakeshaving angularly disposed plate portions, one of said plate portionsbeing secured to the vertical and inclined portions of an adjacent sidesheet and tothe inner ace of the vertical portion of the adjoining sidesill and the other of said plate portions extending inwardly from theside sheets and being provided adjacent its lower end with anenlargement projecting inwardly beyond the vertical portion of theadjacent side sill and rigidly secured in overlapping relation to oneside of said load carrying member,

2. A repair construction for increasing the capacity of hopper carshaving outside side stakes by providing the existing underframe of suchcars with sides having inside side stakes, including in combination,side sills of the existingv underframe of the car respectively havingsubstantially vertical portions, a transverse load carrying member ofthe existing underframe having its ends respectively terminating at thevertical portions of the side sills, side top rails, side sheetsrespectively having vertical main body portions disposed outwardly ofthe ends of the load carrying member, the upper and lower portions ofsaid sheets being inclined inwardly and respectively terminating insubstantially vertical flanges for attachment to the side top rails andthe vertical portions of the side sills, the upper flange of each of theside sheets being disposed in a plane intermediate the planes of thelower flange and the main body portion of the side sheet, and sidestakes having angularly disposed plate-like portions, one of saidplate-like portions being secured to the upper and lower iianges and themain body portion of an adjacent side sheet and to the vertical portionof the adjacent side sill and the other of said plate-like portionsextending inwardly from the side sheets and being provided adjacent itslower end with an enlargement projecting inwardly beyond the verticalportion of the adjacent side sill and rigidly secured to said loadcarrying member.

3. A repair construction for increasing the capacity of hopper carshaving outside side stakes by providing the existing underframe of suchcars with sides having inside side stakes, including in combination,side sills of the existing underframe of the car respectively havingvertical portions extending from end to end of the car, a transverseload carrying member of the existing underframe having its endsterminating at the vertical portions of the side sills, side top railshaving vertical portions extending from end to end of the car and spaceda greater distance from a vertical plane passing through thelongitudinal axis of the car than the vertical portions of the sidesills, side sheets having their major portions disposed outwardly of thevertical portions of the side sills, and side stakes and corner postsrespectively connecting the top rail and sill of each side of the car,each of the corner posts and side stakes having laterally offsetportions respectively secured to the vertical portions of the top railand sill and the side stakes adjacent the ends of the transverse loadcarrying member having portions extending inwardly from the side sheetsrespectively provided at their lower ends with enlargements projectinginwardly of the vertical portions of the side sills rigidly secured tothe load carrying member.

4. A repair construction for increasing the capacity of hopper carshaving outside side stakes by providing the existing underfrarne of suchcars with sides having inside side stakes, including in combination,side sills of the existing underframe of the car respectively havingsubstantially vertical portions, a transverse load carrying member ofthe existing underframe having its ends respectively terminating at thevertical portions of the side sills, side sheets each having asubstantially vertical main body portion disposed in a plane spacedoutwardly from the plane of the vertical portion of the adjacent sidesill, each of said sheets being provided at its lower portion with adownwardly and inwardly inclined portion terminating in a verticalfiange secured to the vertical portion of the adjacent side sill, andside stakes disposed adjacent the ends of the load carrying member andrespectively provided with plate-like portions, one of said plate-likeportions being secured in overlapping relation to the inner faces oi themain body portion, the inclined portion and the flange of an adjacentside sheet and the other of said plate-like portions extending inwardlyfrom the adjacent side. sheet and being provided at its lower end withan enlargement projecting inwardly of the adjoining end of the loadcarrying member, the enlargement of each stake being rigidly secured tosaid member and constituting a continuation thereof.

5. A railway hopper car including side sills respectively havingsubstantially Vertical portions,

side sheets respectively having substantially vertical main bodyportions disposed in planes spaced outwardly from the planes of thevertical portions of the side sills, each of said side sheets beingprovided adjacent its lower edge with a downwardly and inwardly inclinedportion terminating in a flange secured to the vertical portion of theadjacent side sill, a body bolster of a length substantially equal tothe distance between the vertical portions of the side sills and havingsubstantially vertical end walls, and side stakes adjacent the ends ofthe body bolster, each of said side stakes having laterally offsetportions respectively secured to the main body portion oi one of saidsheets and to an end wall of the bolster, each stake being also providedwith a portion extending inwardly of the end wall of the bolster rigidlysecured in overlapping relation to one side of the bolster.

6. A railway car including side sills respectively having substantiallyvertical portions, a body bolster of a length substantially equal to thedistance between the vertical portions of the sill and havingsubstantially vertical end walls, side stakes adjacent the ends of thebody bolster, end side sheets extending in one direction from the sidestakes, and intermediate side sheets extending in the opposite directionfromV the side stakes, each of said intermediate sheets having a bottomange secured' to the vertical portion of the adjacent side sill and amain body portion offset outwardly from said flangev and each of saidend side sheets being disposed in a plane intermediate the planes of theflange and main body portion of the adjacent intermediateV side sheet,said side stakes respectively having a plurality of laterally offsetportions respectively secured to the end side sheets, the main bodypor-- tions of the intermediate side sheets and the end walls ofthe-bolster.

'.7. A railway hopper car including side sills respectively havingsubstantially vertical portions, a body bolster of a lengthsubstantially equal to the distance between the vertical por-` tionsv ofthe sill having substantially vertical endV walls, side stakes adjacentthe ends of the body bolster respectively secured to the verticalportionsY of the side sills, end side sheets extending in one directionfrom the side stakes, intermediate side sheets extending in the oppositedirection from the side stakes, each of said intermediate sheets havingka bottom flange secured to the vertical portion of the adjacent sidesill and a main. body portion offset outwardly from said flange, each ofsaid end side sheets being disposed in a plane intermediate the planesof the lange and main body portion of the adjacent intermediate sidesheets, said side stakes being of substantially Z-shape and respectivelyhaving a web and oppositely extending legs, one leg of each side stakebeing secured to the main body portion of an intermediate side sheet andthe other leg thereof having laterally offset portions respectivelysecured to an end side sheet and an end wall of the bolster.

8`. A railway" hopper car including side sillsl having substantiallyvertical portions, a body bolster of a length substantially equal to thedistance between the vertical portions of the sill and havingsubstantially vertical end walls, side stakes adjacent the ends of thebody bolster rigidly secured to the vertical portions of the side sills,end side sheets extending in one direction from the side stakes, andintermediate side sheets extending in the opposite direction from theside stakes, each of said intermediate side sheets having asubstantially vertical main body portion disposed in a plane spacedoutwardly from the plane ol the adjacent end sheet and being providedadjacent its lower portion with a downwardly and inwardly inclinedportion terminating in a flange secured to the vertical portion of theadjacent side sill, each of said si-de stakes having a web andoppositely projecting legs, one leg of each stake being secured to theadjacent end side sheet and to an end wall of theV bolster and the otherleg thereof having laterally offset portions respectively secure-d tothe main body portion and flange of the adjacent intermediate sidesheet, said side stakes also respectively having. portions extendinginwardly beyond the end walls of the bolster secured in overlappingrelation to a side of the bolster.

9. A railway hopper car including side sills having substantiallyvertical portions, a body bolster of a length substantially equal to thedis tance between the vertical portions of the sills and havingsubstantially vertical end walls, side stakes adjacent the ends of thebody bolster, and end and intermediate side sheets extending in oppositedirections from each of said side stakes, each of said intermediate sidesheets having a substantially vertical main body portion disposed in aplane spaced outwardly from the plane of the adjacent end side sheet andeach of said side stakes being of substantially Z-sliape including a weband oppositely projecting legs, one leg of each side stake being securedto the main body portion of an intermediate side sheet and the other legof each side stake being secured to an adjacent end side sheet and theadjacent end wall of the bolster, each of said stakes being alsoprovided with a portion extending inwardly of the adjacent end wall ofthe bolster in a plane ofiset from the web of the stake and rigidlysecured in overlapping relation to a side of the bolster.

10. A railway hopper car including side sills having substantiallyvertical portions, a body bolster of a length substantially equal to thedistance between the vertical portions of the sills and havingsubstantially vertical end walls, side stakes adjacent the ends of thebody bolster, and end and intermediate side sheets extending in oppositedirections from each of the side stakes, said end side sheets beingdisposed in planes spaced outwardly of the planes oi the vertical endwalls of the bolster, each of said side stakes being of substantiallyZ-shape and includingV a web and oppositely projecting legs, one leg ofeach side stake being secured to an intermediate side sheet and theother leg of each side stake having laterally oiset portionsrespectively secured to an adjacent end side sheet and to an adjacentend wall of the bolster, said oset portions being integrally connectedby a portion inclined longitudinally of the car affording a support foran inclined floor sheet of the car.

WILLIAM`E. WINE.

